Jonathan Bramley was cleared of unacceptable professional conduct by England’s General Teaching Council, despite having been convicted of the offence at Wolverhampton magistrates court in January 2004.

The 38-year-old, who now teaches at Moat community college in Leicester, pleaded not guilty in court but was ordered to pay pound;250 compensation to his victim and pound;250 costs.

Margaret Bromley, presenting the case to the GTC committee in Birmingham this week, said the teacher had been to a concert in Wolverhampton and became frustrated by a traffic jam after the performance. She said the teacher drove into the female parking attendant after she had asked him to wait, causing her to fall on to the car bonnet. She was carried three yards before falling to the ground.

The victim suffered severe bruising to her right thigh and injured her back and ankles.

Mr Bramley, who did not attend the hearing and was not represented, has been allowed by his school to continue in his teaching position despite the conviction.

He said in a written submission to the GTC that he found his conviction “both disappointing and surprising”.

Ms Bromley said: “This was a deliberate act by Mr Bramley to drive his car into another person and such behaviour shows a disregard for the safety of others.”

She added that he was a “poor role model” to pupils and that his actions were unacceptable.

Although she stated that his conviction was not for the most serious offence, Ms Bromley urged the committee to consider that such conduct by a registered teacher damages the reputation of the profession.

The committee said it was not satisfied that the teacher’s conviction had a bearing on his teaching ability. saying that it was a single offence that occurred in his private time.